30 



"After this gentleman's departure, the following appeared in the ' Ori- 

 ental Advertiser,' published in Constantinople, of December, 1886, from 

 their Smyrna correspondent: 



" We often hear people exclaim, ' I don't care a fig,' as if they considered a fig a very 

 small matter. Our American cousins, however, look at it from a different point; that 

 is to say, from a commercial point of view. 



"We always thought the fig growers of Asia Minor were jealous of any foreign compe- 

 tition, and we gave them credit for a certain amount of worldly foresight and wisdom ; 

 but we find that it requires but little of the gold dust of the New World to blind them to 

 their own interests. The Americans have just succeeded in playing upon the dozing 

 Smyrnaites a trick, which, no doubt, will prove of serious consequence. 



" Some three weeks ago W. C. West, of the Fancher Creek Nursery, Fresno, came to 

 Smyrna to make a study of the Smyrna fig, and also secure cuttings of that variety for 

 propagation in California. Fortunately for his object, Mr. West, on his arrival, made 

 the acquaintance of an Englishman, a resident ol over twenty years, without whose 

 assistance he could scarcely have succeeded. 



"This resident, by his energy and determination, brought the affair to a successful 

 termination. Besides the figs he took cuttings of other plants. This little incident serves 

 to show that the Smyrnaites ought not to be so indifferent to such important matters. 

 By this time Mr. West is on his way home with his cuttings, and for the sake of the 

 Smyrna trade it is to be hoped that the fig will not take in California, though the chance 

 is very slight. 



"If it does, however, America will supply the European market with better ' Eleme" ' 

 than Smyrna ever produced. Another matter, which should not be forgotten, is that 

 American machinery will, no doubt, take the place of manual labor in packing. The 

 prospect of losing th'e fig trade is a sad one, and should provide food for reflection for all 

 who live by its product in Asia Minor. 



[" We do not quite agree with our correspondent, for Smyrna-grown figs, pomegranates, 

 etc., will never be anything else, namely, the best in the world. Seeds and cuttings may 

 be taken to America or elsewhere, but a foreign soil will never be able to give the same 

 nourishment and strength to the new product so that no difference would be known 

 between it and the old. At the same time our correspondent is, no doubt, right about 

 the want of precaution on the part of those who run a great risk in jeopardizing the 

 Smyrna fig trade. Ed. 'Oriental Advertiser.'] 



"After a journey of seven months the cuttings arrived in Fresno May 

 24th, in good condition. Much to my surprise, most of them had sent 

 out numerous roots into the sawdust, which was still in a moist condi- 

 tion, having, no doubt, absorbed moisture during the transit across the 

 Atlantic. 



" On account of the lateness of the season, not more than about one 

 third of the cuttings grew, the warm weather having already com- 

 menced. They were planted out in the orchard of the Fancher Creek 

 Nursery the following year, where the trees are now growing vigorously 

 in light, sandy, and well-drained soil." 



That there is an ample market for our domestic fig production is 

 shown from the fact that the United States is a large importer of the 

 foreign article. In 1889 our importations were 9,101,300 pounds, and 

 in 1890, 9,678,315 pounds, for which nearly a million dollars annually 

 were sent away. This sum might as well be diverted into the pockets 

 of California orchardists. It is estimated that the output of this State, 

 in 1887, was about 90,000 pounds, and this amount has been increased 

 until at the present time the product will amount to about 500,000 

 pounds. A great advantage offered to California producers is found in 

 the fact that we have practically no competition in the Eastern market. 

 The domestic product can be placed in the New York market a month 

 or six weeks before the Asiatic crop can be placed, thus giving California 

 an opportunity to dispose of her product before the Asiatic supply is 

 received. 



With the same energy that has been displayed by California in per- 

 sistent experimenting with raisins and prunes, it cannot be questioned 



